70 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



ception to this " stay-at-home " tendency is when a 

 young cuckoo has taken surreptitious possession of its 

 affections, and then its love for its own offspring seems to 

 be entirely lost, and other habits equally changed. 



In cold weather the Hedge-sparrow will patronise the 

 neighbourhood of dwelling-houses and farm-yards, and 

 may be seen on roads, gutters, and sinks diligently searching 

 for food. The food consists for the most part of insects 

 and their larva, grubs, worms, chrysalides, seeds, and various 

 grains. 



The song of this little bird is very sweet, and is 

 generally delivered when the bird is sitting on the top- 

 most branch of a hedge or small bush. It is very tame or 

 bold, and will seldom cease until it has finished, no matter 

 how close you may go to it in reason ; and its pretty 

 little ' ' cheep, cheep " may be heard alike in the spring, 

 in the summer sunshine, and when the winter's snow has 

 considerably diminished the vocal efforts of more pre- 

 tentious songsters. Although generally of a mild and 

 peaceable disposition, instances have occasionally presented 

 themselves in which very severe combats have taken place 

 between these birds. 



A hawthorn hedge is the favourite nesting-place of the 

 Hedge-sparrow, though it does build in other places, such 

 as furze bushes and low shrubs, or holes in walls, wood- 

 stacks and ivy. The nest is made of straw, dead twigs, 

 and dried grass, and is lined with moss, hair, grass, and 

 wool. The birds commence building early in the spring, 

 frequently, indeed, before the leaves of the hedgerows have 

 begun to show themselves. Early in April four or five 

 eggs are laid of a very pretty greenish-blue colour, with a 

 noticeably smooth and glossy-looking surface. About 



